1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a passenger conveyor such as an escalator and a moving walkway. More particularly, it pertains to a passenger conveyor in which an operation condition display device, a passenger detecting device, and so on are compactly disposed near a platform at an end of a balustrade panel where a handrail enters and exits.
2. Background Art
In recent years, passenger conveyors such as escalators and moving walkways have been Installed one after another in order to prepare for an aged society. In a platform 2 of a conventional escalator 1 shown in FIG. 13, a handrail 4 moving along an outer periphery of a balustrade panel 3 is downwardly curved to change Its advancing direction 180°. The handrail 4 then moves parallel with a floor 2a of the platform 2 to move into an inlet 5 formed at an end of the balustrade panel 3.
The end of the balustrade panel 3 is covered with an end-deck cover 6 for an attractive design. A front surface 6a of the end-deck cover 6 is generally postured perpendicular to a floor 2a of the platform 2.
As shown in FIG. 13, an operation panel 7 for operating the escalator 1 is attached on a side surface 6b of the end-deck cover 6.
As shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, an inlet safety device 8 and switches of the operation panel 7 are received within the end-deck cover 6. If a passenger has his or her body, clothing, or baggage drawn Into the inlet 5, the inlet safety device 8 detects the trouble and stops the operation of the escalator 1.
As shown in FIG. 16, some passenger conveyors have a pair of right and left standing columns 11L and 11R disposed in front of the platform 2. The pair of columns 11L and 11R respectively have a pair of detecting sensors 12L and 12R between which an optic axis is formed. Upon interruption of the optical axis by a passenger approaching the escalator 1, the escalator 1 can be activated or accelerated.
Passenger conveyors are usually installed in public gathering places such as train stations and airports, shopping centers, department stores, and hotels. In addition, an increased number of elderly people use passenger conveyors. In the light of the circumstances, there has been a tendency that information relating to operating conditions of a passenger conveyor is displayed for a passenger so as to indicate the moving direction, whether or not the passenger can board from a certain direction, and so on.
Such a device for displaying operation information includes a display part of a light emitter or the like, a control board for controlling an operation of the display part, etc. With a view to its function, the display device must be disposed at a platform of a passenger conveyor.
However, when the display device is provided on the columns 11L and 11R shown in FIG. 16 which stand on right and left sides of the platform 2, not only does a design of the platform 2 and its vicinity deteriorate, but also a manufacturing cost increases because of a need for members such as columns 11L and 11R.
Similarly, it is not preferable in terms of the design and the manufacturing cost to provide, as shown in FIG. 16, the detecting sensors 12L and 12R for detecting an approach of a passenger on the right and left columns 11L and 11R disposed in front of the platform 2.
Then, as shown in FIG. 17, a passenger detecting sensor 14 can be disposed below the inlet 5.
However, there are the disadvantages that the passenger detecting sensor 14 is exposed to the platform 2, which deteriorates a design thereof. Further, since a part of the handrail 4 entering or exiting the inlet 5 is extended parallel to the floor 2a of the platform 2, a detection area where an approach of a passenger can be detected is narrowed.